Grant County, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 23.12.070(i), Table 1 Note 17
- Base height cap
- 45 feet where Note 17 applies
- Bonus formula
- 1 extra foot of height per 1 extra foot of setback
- Absolute ceiling
- 80 feet
- Exempt features
- Steeples, elevator shafts, water towers, chimneys
Summary
Grant County caps building height by zoning district in the tables to its Unified Development Code, and Table 1's Note 17 sets the standard formula: a 45-foot base limit with one extra foot of height allowed for every extra foot of setback, up to 80 feet.
(i)Height of Buildings and Structures: Height limitations for buildings and structures shall be as specified in Tables 1, 2 and 3 at the end of this Chapter for the various zoning districts. Height may be further limited within areas designated as Airport Safety Overlay (ASO) zoning districts (see GCC § 23.04.645). Height limitations shall generally not apply to accessory projections such as steeples or spires on places of religious assembly, elevator shaft housings, water towers, or chimneys, except as may be limited within the ASO zoning district or a condition of permit approval; provided that the accessory projection is not intended for occupancy, and that it is removed not less than twenty (20) feet from any adjoining lot line. ... 17.The maximum building height shall not exceed forty five (45) feet, except than an additional one (1) foot increase in height is allowed for each one (1) foot increase in the required setbacks up to eighty (80) feet in height.
Full Breakdown
645. The same subsection carves out an exception for parts of a building that are not intended for occupancy: steeples or spires on places of religious assembly, elevator shaft housings, water towers, and chimneys are not counted against the height limit, generally, as long as they stay at least 20 feet back from any adjoining lot line and are not further restricted by an Airport Safety Overlay condition. 070: the maximum building height is 45 feet, but an applicant can add one additional foot of height for every additional foot of setback provided beyond the district minimum, up to a hard ceiling of 80 feet.
That formula lets a builder trade horizontal breathing room for vertical space rather than applying for a variance, and it applies specifically in the districts the tables flag with note 17, which include several of the county's residential and rural activity center zones.
Violations & Fines
A structure built above the height cap listed for its zoning district in Tables 1, 2 or 3, or above the 45-foot/one-foot-per-foot-of-setback/80-foot ceiling in Note 17 where that note applies, without a variance approved under GCC § 25.08, is a building code and zoning violation that Development Services can require to be modified or removed through the UDC's code enforcement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a building be in unincorporated Grant County?
Can I build taller than the height limit by adding setback?
Do chimneys and steeples count toward the height limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grant County
Compare Grant County to another location·View the Washington building setbacks & zoning overview
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